Links

C-C-N Collaborators:

Alan Wallace is the founder of the Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies. He is a teacher of Tibetan Buddhism. There are audio talks and retreats available on his websites which are excellent resources for people interested in deepening their meditation practice. There is also much of interest on psychology, science and meditation.

In collaboration with organizations and individuals from around the world, we are hoping to create contemplative observatories around the world to facilitate long-term contemplative practice as well as scientific research on the benefits of sustained meditation.

The Cultivating Emotional Balance research project arose from a dialogue between biobehavioral scientists studying emotion and the Dalai Lama and Buddhist monks and scholars. This meeting, which took place in March 2000, in Dharamsala, India, was one in a series sponsored by the Mind and Life Institute to foster an interchange between the Buddhist tradition and Western science. This has now been developed into a training programme and is taught annually by Paul and Eve Ekman and Alan Wallace, it has potential for outreach into Education, Mental Health, Business, Sport and much more

Like the great, collaborative, scientific project to explore the human genome, the International Shamatha Project will bring together dedicated Buddhist teachers and meditators from both Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism to collaborate in exploring the most effective methods and conditions for achieving shamatha in today’s world. Individual retreat centres will network with each other by way of the internet, sharing their experiences, problems, remedies, and insights. We will also collaborate with psychologists and neuroscientists conducting research on shamatha meditators to help discover which methods of shamatha are most appropriate for which kinds of people in the modern world

CCN is developing a working relationship with the Study Society, having our Study Group there and sharing the hosting of events. They are based in the Advaita Vedanta Tradition of Northern India. The Study Society provides practical ways of finding rest, stillness and meaning in the midst of our varied lives, benefiting both the individual and society. These include meditation, sacred dance and chanting. They study non-dual philosophy: a simple system of knowledge that lies behind the world’s major philosophies and religions

Buddhism & Science

“The potential of the interface between Buddhism and science is that Buddhists may encourage scientists to question their materialistic assumptions and incorporate sophisticated systems of contemplative inquiry within the scientific community. This may give rise to the first true revolution in the mind sciences, which is bound to have profound repercussions for the rest of science and humanity at large. Likewise, scientists may encourage Buddhists to question their own assumptions, to revitalize their own traditions of contemplative inquiry, and to integrate them with the empirical methods of modern science. In short, Buddhists and scientists may help each other in overcoming their tendencies to dogmatism and replace this with a fresh and open-minded spirit of empiricism.”

The Scientific and Medical Network is an interdisciplinary networking forum and educational charity exploring science, medicine, philosophy and spirituality. It hosts conferences, dialogues and talks in the UK and on continental Europe.

Meditation offers many benefits to mental and physical health. The Shamatha Project, the most comprehensive study of meditation to date, investigates the psychological and physiological processes underlying such benefits. In a randomized, controlled study, we studied how intensive meditation training affects how people think and feel. We employed cognitive and perceptual tasks, emotional provocation, questionnaires, and physiological and biochemical monitoring to assess people’s skills and behavior before during, and after long-term, intensive meditative practice.

The International Shamatha Project is an international Buddhist research project modeled after the Human Genome Project, which was one of the most ambitious and successful scientific projects in recent history. It entailed the collaboration of many scientific laboratories throughout the world to map the human genome. Throughout the years that this project was conducted, researchers around the world shared their finding so that the project could be completed most effectively for the benefit of all of humanity.

“Like this great, collaborative, scientific project to explore the human genome, the International Shamatha Project will bring together dedicated Buddhist teachers and meditators from both Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism to collaborate in exploring the most effective methods and conditions for achieving shamatha in today’s world. Individual retreat centers will network with each other by way of the internet, sharing their experiences, problems, remedies, and insights. We will also collaborate with psychologists and neuroscientists conducting research on shamatha meditators to help discover which methods of shamatha are most appropriate for which kinds of people in the modern world. Scientists may also discover the objective psychological and neurological signs corresponding to the nine stages of development leading to shamatha, thus providing a scientific map of the gradual achievement of shamatha. We have begun such collaboration in the Shamatha Project, and I am proposing that this work now be expanded worldwide, to include multiple teachers and traditions.”

The achievement of shamatha is essential for the preservation of Buddhism as a true science of the mind. While many people devote themselves to the practice of vipashyana and to Vajrayana, relatively few pay serious attention to the practice of shamatha and far fewer, it seems, actually achieve it. Once shamatha is accomplished, it becomes far more feasible to achieve bodhicitta, vipashyana, and the stages of Vajrayana, and in this way, the significance of Buddhist mind science may become evident to the scientific community and to human society at large.

The AICS is dedicated to interdisciplinary research and education to advance understanding of the nature and potentials of consciousness. Its comprehensive approach integrates the insights and techniques of contemporary science with those of the world’s classic contemplative and philosophical traditions.

Christian Resources:

The International Satsang Association is a companionship between those who are open to the truth in all religious traditions and are seeking to know the absolute, the source of all life, those who also accept their need for guidance, challenge and support in the concrete living out of their ideals. Satsang members recognize the barriers which are at the heart of many of today’s social evils, barriers which create fear and suspicion and thus keep people in conflict. In small, often unnoticed, yet significant ways they are working to transform fear into respect and understanding – wherever they live and work. The Satsang Association has been forming internationally around the initiative of Sister Ishpriya’s spiritual teaching and guidance.
Video and audio teachings may be found here.

Buddhist Resources:

Located off the west coast of Scotland, Holy Isle has an ancient spiritual heritage stretching back to the 6th century. Visitors are welcome all year round. At the north of the island there is the Centre for World Peace and Health where an ongoing retreat and course programme takes place. We also welcome guests to stay at the Centre for personal retreats or holiday breaks. A closed Buddhist retreat takes place at the south of the island.

Kagyu Samye Dzong London Tibetan Buddhist Centre opened in April 1998 and provides peace and tranquillity for all at its two centres in central London. We run a programme of courses and workshops focusing on meditation, Buddhism, and holistic therapies. We also provide venues for community activities and alternative practitioners.

Secular Meditation:

Julie has a unique story of transition from a successful corporate career to secular meditation teacher. She is the founder of Nature meditations and the creator of a unique five step program to support gaining mastery of meditation techniques to reduce stress levels for improved health and well being. Julie is a Trustee of the Contemplative Consciousness Network and an active member of our London Study Group.

The Potential Project is a leading supplier of the highest quality of Mindfulness Training on a global scale. With trainers all over the world we are the only ones who can offer streamlined programs to multinational companies. At the same time our long experience makes us able to design tailor made solutions to our client whether they are big or small.

We offer a lineup of highly experienced trainers and well tested and clear programs and materials. These are the causes of our remarkable results and rapid growth. Our flexible program setups enable us to offer the programs at very cost-competitive prices.